Centrifuge inserts of this type are known for various sample holders like micro titer plates, deep well plates, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) plates, and cell culture plates in different configurations.
For example, DE 199 53 453 C2 describes a bucket shaped centrifuge insert (centrifuge bucket) for micro titer plates which is attached at a centrifuge rotor as a micro titer pivot. This centrifuge insert includes a carrier which is inserted into the base of the centrifuge insert. The carrier is a micro titer plate carrier that is insertable into the centrifuge insert, wherein the micro titer plate carrier can be removed from the centrifuge insert through retaining tabs.
It is a disadvantage of the bucket shaped centrifuge inserts of this type that they always have to be provided with an extraction or placement aid for the sample holders since sample holders can otherwise not be inserted or removed. Furthermore, centrifuge buckets are relatively heavy through their configuration that is closed towards the sides which requires limiting a maximum permissible speed of rotation or of the RCA (relative centrifugal acceleration) values in order to prevent excessive loading of the rotor.
In order to provide improvements, open centrifuge inserts were already described which are for example offered by Eppendorf AG under the name “flex suspensions”. These centrifuge inserts do not include circumferentially closed sidewalls. They have a significant weight advantage over centrifuge buckets and can therefore be used in faster spinning centrifuges. Furthermore, extraction aids are not required since the sample holders can be removed or inserted by hand. Additionally, a bolted down carrier is required at the base of the centrifuge insert for the sample holders, wherein the bolted down carrier is used for exact positioning and also for fixation of the sample holders so that the sample holders cannot fall out of the centrifuge insert when the centrifuge swings out. This carrier is also used for damping the sample holder. These damping properties are already known from the extraction aids for centrifuge buckets that are provided with a damping support. A separate fixation of the sample holders in the extraction aids is not required since the fixation is already provided through the side walls of the centrifuge buckets. Overall, this yields significant weight savings for the open centrifuge inserts over the bucket shaped centrifuge inserts.
It is a disadvantage of the known open centrifuge inserts that a bolted down fixated carrier at least renders cleaning the centrifuge insert very difficult. Furthermore, known carriers are configured so that all feasible sample holders, such as PCR plates, micro titer plates, deep well plates and cell culture plates can be placed on these known carriers. Thus, they have to be equally suitable for all plates in the sense of a “greatest common denominator” and thus have no geometry that is adapted or optimized for a particular type of plate.